Hospitality is a multi-billion dollar industry which includes hotels, restaurants, theme parks, transportation, cruise lines, and more.There are about 15 million persons employed in the hospitality industry in the United States, and according to the Bureau of Labor statistics , the industry is projected to keep adding jobs at a strong rate through 2022.

If you’re applying for one of these positions, you’ll need to be ready for some common interview questions. Having great answers to these can help you land the job you want, faster.

Restaurant Interview Questions

Working in a restaurant requires patience, efficiency, and customer service skills, all in a fast-paced and often stressful work environment. You’ll want to be sure to prepare answers to questions such as:

Do you have experience taking care of customers?

How would you handle difficult or fussy customers?

Have you been a customer at our restaurants, and how was your experience?

Are you familiar with our menu and beverage offerings?

Do you know the Heimlich maneuver?

Tourism Interview Questions

For positions with tour companies, theme parks, or cruise lines, the focus of nearly every customer-facing position is going to be on doing your utmost to insure customer satisfaction. You’ll want to show you can handle all kinds of situations calmly, professionally, and with a smile. Sample questions might include:

Describe a situation where you had a dissatisfied customer and you solved their problem.

Are you able to interact well with people of all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life?

Have your traveled much on your own, with friends, or family?

Is your schedule flexible? (You may be working seven days at week and different shifts.)

Are you comfortable in large crowds?

Do you know basic first aid?

Travel Agency Interview Questions

Travel agents help book flights, find the best deals, and plan vacations for individuals, families and groups. It’s important for travel agents to be customer-service focused, resourceful, and, of course, passionate about travel! Sample questions might include:

Are you comfortable using computer systems to help customers find the best deals?

How do you handle difficult or frustrated customers?

Travel agents need to be well-organized. Do you have a reliable organizational system?

Do you enjoy traveling yourself? What has been your most memorable trip?

Have you ever booked travel through a travel agency? What has been your experience?

Making sure you’re ready to ace the interview is important. But it’s even more important to land the interview in the first place. This is where having a properly formatted resume and cover letter is your friend. You’ll want to make sure that your resume and cover letter show your skills and talents in the best light, so you’ll impress more potential employers and have more chances to use your interview skills to win the hospitality industry job you want. A professional resume-building product like LiveCareer’s can give you a substantial leg up in the job sweepstakes. Consider trying it out today!

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